John Decker
Encyclopedia
John Decker was a painter
, set designer and caricaturist in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s.
As a teenager, Decker lived in London
, painting scenery in theatres; this was interrupted by the advent of the First World War, when he was arrested as an enemy alien
and interned on the Isle of Man
. In 1921, he changed his name to John Decker and emigrated to America
, where he worked as a cartoonist for the New York Evening World until 1928, when he moved to Hollywood and took up fine art
. Many film stars, including Anthony Quinn
, Errol Flynn
, Charlie Chaplin
, Greta Garbo
, and the Marx Brothers
, commissioned Decker to paint their portraits, and many of his works were used in films: the paintings of the frustrated artist protagonist in Fritz Lang
's 1945 film Scarlet Street
were actually by Decker. One of his most famous portraits, depicting his friend and drinking companion W.C. Fields as Queen Victoria, hung for many years at Chasen's
Restaurant in West Hollywood, California. Decker died on June 8, 1947.
John's mother Maria Anna Avenarius 1865-1918 was an opera singer in Berlin
. She performed Wagner operas in Berlin
and Bayreuth. Her father, Ferdinand Avenarius, was an actor.
John's father, Graf Ernst August von der Decken (1867–1934), grew up on the castle Ringelheim in Salzgitter
Germany and became a reporter for British and German Newspapers.
The parents met in the opera of Berlin
and Bayreuth. Two years after John's birth they moved to London
in 1897 and married 1898 in Greenwich
.
John's grandfather Graf Georg von der Decken was a member of German Reichstag
and he was an artist too like his grandson John. Georg created huge oil paintings of his castle and paintings for the neighbouring church. He also carved wooden sculptures.
The castle Ringelheim
near Braunschweig
and Hanover
was a family estate. John's great-great-grandfather Johann Friedrich von der Decken
bought the castle, three farms and a big forest in 1817. The German title Graf
was given to Johann Friedrich von der Decken
in 1833 for his services in the King's German Legion
against Napoleon by William IV of the United Kingdom
. The German Graf
is the equivalent to the British Earl
.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, set designer and caricaturist in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s.
As a teenager, Decker lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, painting scenery in theatres; this was interrupted by the advent of the First World War, when he was arrested as an enemy alien
Enemy alien
In law, an enemy alien is a citizen of a country which is in a state of conflict with the land in which he or she is located. Usually, but not always, the countries are in a state of declared war.-United Kingdom:...
and interned on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. In 1921, he changed his name to John Decker and emigrated to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he worked as a cartoonist for the New York Evening World until 1928, when he moved to Hollywood and took up fine art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
. Many film stars, including Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
, Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
, Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
, Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
, and the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
, commissioned Decker to paint their portraits, and many of his works were used in films: the paintings of the frustrated artist protagonist in Fritz Lang
Fritz Lang
Friedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang was an Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. One of the best known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute...
's 1945 film Scarlet Street
Scarlet Street
Scarlet Street is a 1945 American film noir directed by Fritz Lang and based on the French novel La Chienne by Georges de La Fouchardière, that previously had been dramatized on stage by André Mouëzy-Éon, and cinematically as La Chienne by director Jean Renoir.The principal actors Edward G...
were actually by Decker. One of his most famous portraits, depicting his friend and drinking companion W.C. Fields as Queen Victoria, hung for many years at Chasen's
Chasen's
Chasen's was a restaurant in West Hollywood, California that was a hangout for entertainment luminaries. Located at 9039 Beverly Boulevard near Beverly Hills, it was the site of the Academy Awards party for many years and was also known for its chili. In 1962 Liz Taylor had several orders of...
Restaurant in West Hollywood, California. Decker died on June 8, 1947.
Family Background
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. She performed Wagner operas in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Bayreuth. Her father, Ferdinand Avenarius, was an actor.
John's father, Graf Ernst August von der Decken (1867–1934), grew up on the castle Ringelheim in Salzgitter
Salzgitter
Salzgitter is an independent city in southeast Lower Saxony, Germany, located between Hildesheim and Braunschweig. Together with Wolfsburg and Braunschweig, Salzgitter is one of the seven Oberzentren of Lower Saxony...
Germany and became a reporter for British and German Newspapers.
The parents met in the opera of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Bayreuth. Two years after John's birth they moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1897 and married 1898 in Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
.
John's grandfather Graf Georg von der Decken was a member of German Reichstag
Reichstag (building)
The Reichstag building is a historical edifice in Berlin, Germany, constructed to house the Reichstag, parliament of the German Empire. It was opened in 1894 and housed the Reichstag until 1933, when it was severely damaged in a fire. During the Nazi era, the few meetings of members of the...
and he was an artist too like his grandson John. Georg created huge oil paintings of his castle and paintings for the neighbouring church. He also carved wooden sculptures.
The castle Ringelheim
Salzgitter-Ringelheim
Ringelheim is the sixth biggest suburb of Salzgitter in Lower Saxony, Germany. Located at the very far south-western end of the city, the most important station of the city is here, because the railway lines Hannover - Hildesheim - Salzgitter-Ringelheim - Goslar - Halle and Braunschweig -...
near Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
and Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
was a family estate. John's great-great-grandfather Johann Friedrich von der Decken
Johann Friedrich von der Decken
Johann Friedrich Graf von der Decken was a Hanoverian general and diplomat during the Napoleonic Wars.-Life:...
bought the castle, three farms and a big forest in 1817. The German title Graf
Graf
Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl...
was given to Johann Friedrich von der Decken
Johann Friedrich von der Decken
Johann Friedrich Graf von der Decken was a Hanoverian general and diplomat during the Napoleonic Wars.-Life:...
in 1833 for his services in the King's German Legion
King's German Legion
The King's German Legion was a British Army unit of expatriate German personnel, 1803–16. The Legion achieved the distinction of being the only German force to fight without interruption against the French during the Napoleonic Wars....
against Napoleon by William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
. The German Graf
Graf
Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl...
is the equivalent to the British Earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
.
External links
- Capsule biography of John Decker
- John Decker, in the Shadows of Hollywood's Golden Age by Richard Rushfield
- Before the Rat Pack, another wild bunch - Los Angeles Times 2005
Five Paintings
- 'Harmony' portrait of three singers by John Decker Oil on board
- http://www.askart.com/askart/d/john_decker/john_decker.aspxPortrait of John WayneJohn WayneMarion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
Oil on panel] - Study for a set of four caricature murals for the Wilshire Bowl Restaurant - John Decker 1941
- Portrait of Anthony Quinn by John Decker 1943 Oil on panel - Anthony Quinn Collection, Q2004.75
- Lady of Brute Force portrait by John Decker 1947
Further reading
- Jordan, C. Stephen, "Bohemian Rogue: The Life of Hollywood Artist John Decker." (ISBN 0-8108-5159-8) Scarecrow Press, 2005, online.
- Jordan, C. Stephen, "Hollywood's Original Rat Pack: The Bards of Bundy Drive" (ISBN 978-0810860322) Scarecrow Press, 2008, online.
- Mank, Gregory William with Charles Heard and Bill Nelson "Hollywood’s Hellfire Club: The Misadventures of John Barrymore, W.C. Fields, Errol Flynn and 'The Bundy Drive Boys'" (ISBN 978-1-932595-24-6) Feral Press, 2007, online.
- More Information about John Decker at AskART online